Dies utilized for fabricating sheet metal parts and the like typically include a die set having a pair of die shoes (e.g., flat metal plates) that are movably interconnected by posts and bushings that provide for movement of the die shoes towards and away from one another, and align and position the die shoes relative to one another. A variety of punches, die steels and the like are mounted to the die shoes for forming parts from sheet metal as it is fed into the die. A number of openings are typically machined into the die shoe for mounting of the die steel and other such components, and also to provide clearance for slugs that are punched from the sheet metal and pass through openings in the lower die shoe during the forming process.
Dies are often provided with parallels for mounting the die shoes to a press. In general, parallels are elongated heavy steel members with opposite edge surfaces that are machined to parallel so the parallel can position and provide support for the die in the press. The parallels typically include a plurality of threaded openings that receive threaded fasteners for securing the parallels to the die shoes. The die shoes may also include slots or openings at end portions of the parallels to provide for securing the parallel to the press. Depending upon the requirements of a particular die design, parallels may be positioned adjacent or across a slug clearance opening in the die shoe, such that clearance must be machined in the parallel to provide for proper exit of the slugs. Due to the wide variation in the size and configuration of dies, parallels are typically custom made for a particular die. Parallels are commonly rough cut from large plates of hot roll steel using a flame cutter. The rough cut parallels were then individually machined utilizing conventional manual workpiece setup and positioning methods. As a result of the time consuming manual setup and positioning, such machining methods can be costly due to the amount of labor and machine time used.
Accordingly, a way to reduce the setup and machining time would be desirable.